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Rowan Mangan

Author. Explorer. #Looking for America.

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Welcome to Looking for America!

This is where I write about x, y, z and why I do this thing in the first place. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, brute argumentum quaerendum nam ei. Est iudicabit abhorreant consectetuer ei, dicant aliquid mea in, vim et volutpat consetetur. Dolore antiopam ea ius. Qualisque percipitur delicatissimi vel ne. No sed oratio pidis. Verterem democritum mea et, vidit doming ne nam. Quodsi atomorum nam at, ei qui liber deleniti, ea vel quod euripidis. Ut rebum suscipit nam. Pertinax assentior argumentum cu vis, vel voluptua epicurei facilisis et, ex bonorum phaedrum moderatius vix. Timeam similique delicatissimi mel at, mea altera delectus adolescens id.

Blog also located at Substack!

31 March 2022 Leave a Comment

Rowan with newborn baby and the words "Wild Inventures" overlaid

Have you discovered Substack yet? I’m obsessed with it and now primarily blog over there (though you can always find my free writing here too!) Here’s the Wild Inventures blog/newsletter/community at Substack. I hope you’ll come over and join me there.

Filed Under: Parenting inventures

How to talk to Ro and Marty on Bewildered

2 December 2021 4 Comments

Hi folks! We have a new kind of Bewildered episode, called “The BeWild Files,” which will feature listeners’ voices and our responses. YAY! Please find below instructions for sending a voice message to the Bewildered podcast. We love hearing from you, and we listen to everyone’s missives before choosing a few to include in our […]

Filed Under: Work inventures Tagged With: bewildered podcast

Inventures in Seeing

4 October 2021 Leave a Comment

This piece is a longer version of a memory that I referred to in a recent Wild Inventures column in Martha Beck’s newsletter. It’s apropos of nothing, and in some ways, relevant to everything I think of when I talk about wild inventures. – Ro On a crowded street in rural India, an old man […]

Filed Under: Parenting inventures Tagged With: adventures, ashram, India, travel, wildparenting

Parenting inventures

17 August 2021 Leave a Comment

As you might already know, “inventure” is my word for a way of living that puts nature before culture. It’s all about living in a way that feels right to you, even if it looks weird to others: our extended families, our friend groups, our ethnic communities. You name it, there’s a culture trying to […]

Filed Under: Parenting inventures

What are Wild Inventures?

17 August 2021 1 Comment

I’m so glad you asked! Let’s say that an ADventure is a quest or mission you go out into, much like Frodo Baggins and his friends do in Lord of the Rings. I like adventures fine, and I’m lucky enough to have been on many in my life. An INventure is a different kind of […]

Filed Under: Parenting inventures

Pandemic babies, lockdown life

16 August 2021 1 Comment

In some new parent spaces I visit online, I often hear some version of “OH NO! My pandemic baby has had an unnatural life in lockdown! He’s going to be socially stunted!” It’s easy to get hooked by big fears like this, especially when you’re new to the parenting gig. So I spent some time […]

Filed Under: Parenting inventures

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YESTERDAY I BOUGHT PLANTS Now, seven new green co YESTERDAY I BOUGHT PLANTS

Now, seven new green companions are living in our city mouse house and I’m finally perfectly in love with the space. We’ve been moving into this apartment in slow motion since the beginning of the year, trekking back and forth from our country mouse house in Pennsylvania with suitcases. 

Here’s the thing: Without plants, a room has too many right angles. Without plants, I feel less human. These plants give meaning to the skyscrapers out the window. They are the rule that proves the city’s exception. They are my friends. 

Suddenly, this is a space where I can write.

Writers: what do you need in a space before you can go deep?
UNDOING THE DAY-CRAM A couple of days ago, I was UNDOING THE DAY-CRAM

A couple of days ago, I was reflecting on the need to build some more exercise into my week. Nothing extreme: just get this creaky old body moving around a bit.

This realization led to me pulling out my calendar to see when said exercise could happen. Everything must be scheduled—which is its own form of disempowerment—but that’s another rant for another day.

The point of THIS rant is the thought process which began unrolling in my mind as I looked at the neat rows of rectangles that represent hours in my days.

Immediately, I looked for things I was already planning to do, and began assessing which of these could be combined with exercise. Could I make that call while on the elliptical without my colleague thinking I was a heavy-breathing prank caller? Could I listen to that recording on the rower? Would it be weird if I showed up to that Zoom meeting on a treadmill?

It never occurred to me to look for time slots that weren’t already full and put exercise in there as an activity to be fully present for. Part of that is that there are very few such slots in my days. But another part of it is this insidious cultural pattern that says, “Optimize!” “Streamline!” “Synergize!”

So my wild inventure for this week is to stop the day-cram. To allow myself to follow my own instincts about what my body and heart and mind and soul need. To bring music back into my days and banish the ravenous productivity monster from my mind—at least for a week.

Who’s with me? Where in your life is this spacious inventure most needed?

** This is an excerpt of a longer essay that will be sent out to all my lovely Substack subscribers (along with lots of other goodies) next Tuesday. Subscribe via the link in my bio and join the wonderful Wild Inventures community. **
Morning Self and the Storyteller I edge into the Morning Self and the Storyteller

I edge into the beginning of my days very carefully, like someone in a movie trying to demonstrate calm in a hostage situation. Look, I’m putting my gun down here. Look, you can see my hands. I’m moving slowly. I’m talking softly. See? Eeeeverything’s okay, buddy. We’re all friends here.

Because I’m an anxious insomniac, mornings have always been tricky for me. First thing in the morning I’m like a baby animal: whimpering, puffy and afraid.

My before-bed self, on the other hand, is all over it. That chick has her shit together. She’s got the coffee machine programmed for the morning, she’s put the robe and the socks near the bed for her bleary-eyed morning counterpart. 

See, Morning Self has to be carefully managed. Especially because she has a very important job.

To be continued… 👇

~Have you subscribed to my Substack newsletter, Wild Inventures? I’ll be sending out the rest of this essay to all free subscribers later in the week. Link in bio ~
Mess in our home environment can add to the inform Mess in our home environment can add to the information overload in our brain and often expresses a negative inner emotional state. But the mess inherent in nature doesn’t trigger the same negative feelings. On this episode of Bewildered, Martha and Ro delve into why that is and how we can all come to our senses about mess vs. order. Be sure to listen in!

@themarthabeck 
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#bewildered #podcastinglifestyle #funnypodcasts #selfhelppodcast #spiritualpodcast #podcastshows #podcastoftheday #podcasterlife #funnypodcast #podcastersofig #podcastingtips #podcastofinstagram #podcastrecommendation #podcastlifestyle #newpodcastepisode #womenwhopodcast #instapodcast #newpodcastalert #podcastseries #podcastepisode #podcastcommunity #podcastmovement #podcastsofinstagram #podcastaddict #podcastinglife #writerofinstagram #podcasthost #newpodcast #podcastersofinstagram
You will never find a better editing surface than You will never find a better editing surface than the back of a guitar. EVER.

Back in edit world, loves. It’s SO GREAT to be hanging out on Goat Street again after a break. Y’know, I kind of like this book. It has its moments.
Mindfulness and meditation can help us tap into ou Mindfulness and meditation can help us tap into our true nature, but culture will still try to get in there and activate our anxiety. Rowan talks about an app that made meditation a competitive sport, and Martha shares the story of how her car decided that fifteen minutes of reflective silence was fifteen minutes too much. This episode of Bewildered is all about anxiety, and it’s full of aha moments (plus plenty of lolz) so be sure to listen in!

@themarthabeck 
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#bewildered #podcastinglifestyle #funnypodcasts #selfhelppodcast #spiritualpodcast #podcastshows #podcastoftheday #podcasterlife #funnypodcast #podcastersofig #podcastingtips #podcastofinstagram #podcastrecommendation #podcastlifestyle #newpodcastepisode #womenwhopodcast #instapodcast #newpodcastalert #podcastseries #podcastepisode #podcastcommunity #podcastmovement #podcastsofinstagram #podcastaddict #podcastinglife #writerofinstagram #podcasthost #newpodcast #podcastersofinstagram
Small person, big world This little City Mouse wa Small person, big world

This little City Mouse wants to look out the window when she wakes up in the morning. She sees “Car! Car!” She sees “Birdies!” 

I hope she never stops checking on the world every morning and finding awe in what she sees. She gives me new eyes every day.
Martha recalls a 3:00 am call where a confusion of Martha recalls a 3:00 am call where a confusion of consonants caused her to be mistaken for a veterinarian. Don’t miss this and other entertaining tales as Martha and Ro explore our culture’s addictive and unsatisfying pursuit of “more, more, more”—and what we’re all really craving instead.

@themarthabeck 
@bewilderedpodcast 
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#bewildered #podcastinglifestyle #funnypodcasts #selfhelppodcast #spiritualpodcast #podcastshows #podcastoftheday #podcasterlife #funnypodcast #podcastersofig #podcastingtips #podcastofinstagram #podcastrecommendation #podcastlifestyle #newpodcastepisode #womenwhopodcast #instapodcast #newpodcastalert #podcastseries #podcastepisode #podcastcommunity #podcastmovement #podcastsofinstagram #podcastaddict #podcastinglife #writerofinstagram #podcasthost #newpodcast #podcastersofinstagram
Signs you may be living with a toddler: New York C Signs you may be living with a toddler: New York City edition.
If it feels wrong, it probably is. If it feels wrong, it probably is.
I believe in all this too. But my daughter LIVES i I believe in all this too. But my daughter LIVES it. 😳🤪🤦🏻‍♀️🥰
I feel like crying. The last time I felt so vulner I feel like crying. The last time I felt so vulnerable was the week this photo was taken, about 18 months ago. It's launch day for the Wild Inventures newsletter community.

It was also the last time I felt so blown away by humanity’s sheer gorgeousness.

Today I sent out my very first Wild Inventures letter through Substack (a newsletter/blogging platform that’s designed for discussion and community). Already, the sense of connection I feel there is outrageous. Truly inspiring. 

Thank you to all the WONDERFUL people, all you shimmering kindred spirits who have already dropped by to chat. WELCOME!

Everyone reading is emphatically invited to subscribe to Wild Inventures, where you can follow along with my own journey in search of an authenticity that feels great even when it looks strange. It’s about a life lived on its own terms, in spite of all the absurdity and all the beauty and all the horror.

I'll be posting weekly personal reflections, as well as audio natterings and some behind the scenes fun from my wacky household. You can also get more personal writing and more community options with a paid subscription (for the price of a couple of coffees a month!). 

Read my first letter, and subscribe if you want to, by following the "newsletter community" link in my bio. Let the wild rumpus begin!
Martha is feeling terrorized by her smartphone. Ca Martha is feeling terrorized by her smartphone. Can you relate?

In this episode of Bewildered, Martha and I laugh about the menacing nature of today’s technology and how it relates to our culture’s concept of time.

Listen in for deep insights and plenty of laughs!
I'm having a day where I'm greedy for the world. I I'm having a day where I'm greedy for the world. I want to go everywhere I haven't been and everywhere I have. 

I want to show my daughter all the wonders I've been able to witness. I want to gorge on it all.

This isn't a moment for embarking on adventures. So it must be time for a Wild Inventure. There's even more to see inside than outside!

Go to my website for more about Wild Inventures and to download the Inventure Initiator workbook. Link in bio.
In praise of jesters. More than ever, we need our In praise of jesters. More than ever, we need our non-conformists, we need those who can speak truth to power… even if they have to “tell it slant” (Emily Dickinson).
A couple of weeks ago, my friend Jenny O Hare (@a. A couple of weeks ago, my friend Jenny O Hare (@a.tree.called.life) said this in passing, as part of a short written conversation: “In the messy grace of all we are muddling through.” I couldn’t stop thinking about it, and finally had to share it.

Jenny is a deep ecologist; she’s also a gifted writer. I’m captivated by her relationship with nature and the ways we can move through it and with it and within it.

One of the lazy mental habits I have to watch in myself is creating a false dichotomy of the human world and the natural world. As though one could ever be extricated from the other. 

As though there could be any such thing as “other,” anywhere.

And so the experience we’re left with is one of messy grace. Nothing fits neatly, nothing feels like justice, there’s cruelty and devastation. And kindness. Beauty. Magic. Love. Grace. Grace. Grace. Everywhere. What a mindfuck.

I’m grateful to be muddling through it with you as one of my guides, Jenny. (It’s been a long road since the Bodega in 2003!) 

I hope you all follow Jenny on Medium, Instagram and Facebook. Your muddle will be the richer for it.

#ecology #deepecology #wildinventures #inspirationalquotes #inspirational #inspiration #quotestoliveby #quotesaboutlife #jennyohare

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